The next day at noon, the Marquis Talavera gazed at the distant eastern retreat of the French army, grim-faced, and complained to the officer beside him:
"Those cunning French! We've already controlled all areas north of the Douro River; there's no need to protect any supply lines.
"He doesn't even want to hear my suggestion to go to Penafiel. God, he just wants to slack off at the rear!"
Penafiel is located 30 kilometers east of Porto, and if necessary, can provide support to the Spanish forces besieging Porto.
Yet Juno insists on stationing his troops nearly a hundred kilometers away in Reyal to "protect the logistical supply line."
Bear in mind, from Reyal to the Spanish border is only about 120 kilometers, definitely at the rear of the Franco-Spanish Alliance.
However, according to the Franco-Spanish Alliance agreement, Marquis Talavera has no authority to command Juno's troops.
So after a bout of grumbling, he had no choice but to lead his army toward Porto.
